The US green card lottery, officially called the Diversity Immigrant Visa (DV) Program, remains a major pathway through which eligible applicants from countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States can seek permanent residence.
As of the latest update, the biggest issue for prospective applicants is the status of DV-2027 registration. The U.S. Department of State has announced changes to the entry process, but it has not yet announced the opening date for DV-2027 registration. At the same time, applicants selected for DV-2026 face a firm September 30, 2026, deadline.
US Green Card Lottery Latest Update
The Department of State has confirmed that the DV-2027 registration period has been delayed, and the government has not yet published the new registration start date.
The Department previously said it would announce the DV-2027 registration date and the date when selection results would become available through the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) Entry Status Check system. The delay does not change the visa application period for people selected for DV-2027, which is scheduled to run from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
Therefore, people looking for a US green card lottery 2027 application date should be careful about websites claiming that registration is already open. The official State Department information does not currently provide an opening date.
Is the US Green Card Lottery Open Now?
No official DV-2027 registration opening date has been announced as of the latest update.
The previous DV-2026 registration period ran from October 2, 2024, through November 7, 2024. That registration period has already ended.
The Department of State has not authorized a substitute registration period through private websites or immigration agents. When the next registration period is announced, applicants should use the official U.S. government electronic entry system.
The State Department also warns applicants about fraudulent websites and messages that falsely claim to represent the U.S. government.
Why Is the DV-2027 Green Card Lottery Delayed?
The Department of State announced that it was implementing changes to the Diversity Visa entry process before opening DV-2027 registration.
The department said the changes would affect the entry process and that it would announce the registration start date when practicable. The agency did not provide a specific opening date in its November 2025 announcement.
The delay has continued into September 2026, making the next official State Department announcement particularly important for prospective applicants.
New $1 Fee for the US Green Card Lottery
One significant change for DV-2027 is the introduction of a $1 registration fee.
The Department of State finalized a rule establishing a $1 fee for registering for the Diversity Visa lottery. The fee is separate from the immigrant visa application fee that successful selectees may later have to pay. The rule states that the registration fee is collected through an authorized U.S. government payment portal when the person submits the lottery entry.
The Department has also stated that there will be no waiver of the $1 registration fee for DV entrants.
This means prospective applicants should be prepared for the lottery to no longer operate as a completely free registration process once DV-2027 registration officially opens.
Passport Requirement for DV-2027
Another major change is the passport requirement.
A Department of State final rule effective April 10, 2026, requires DV entrants to provide information from a valid, unexpired passport and upload a scan of the passport’s biographic and signature page with the electronic entry form, subject to limited exemptions. The Department said the change is intended to strengthen program integrity and combat fraud.
The Department stated that the new passport requirement will be implemented with the DV-2027 program.
Applicants therefore should not assume that the old entry process will remain unchanged when the next registration period opens.
Who Can Enter the US Green Card Lottery?
The Diversity Visa program is generally intended for natives of countries with historically low levels of immigration to the United States.
Country eligibility can change from one program year to another. For that reason, applicants should wait for the official DV-2027 instructions rather than relying on the DV-2026 country list.
For DV-2026, the Department of State excluded natives of countries including India, China, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, Nigeria, Vietnam, South Korea and several other countries because of their recent immigration levels to the United States.
The final DV-2027 eligibility list should be checked when the State Department publishes the official DV-2027 instructions.
US Green Card Lottery Education and Work Requirements
Country eligibility is only one part of the requirements.
The principal DV applicant must generally have either:
- A high school education or equivalent, based on completion of a formal 12-year elementary and secondary education course; or
- Two years of qualifying work experience within the previous five years in an occupation that meets the program’s requirements.
The Department of State uses the U.S. Department of Labor’s occupational classifications to determine whether work experience qualifies.
A spouse or child does not have to independently satisfy the principal applicant’s education or work-experience requirement.
How the US Green Card Lottery Works
The Diversity Visa process has several stages.
Wait for the Official Registration Period
Applicants must submit their entries during the registration period announced by the Department of State.
Late entries and paper entries are not accepted.
Submit the Electronic Entry
The applicant enters the required information through the official electronic Diversity Visa system.
For DV-2027, applicants should expect the new $1 registration fee and passport-related requirements to apply.
Keep the Confirmation Information
Applicants should carefully retain their confirmation information after completing the entry.
The Department of State uses its electronic status-check system to provide selection information. Applicants should not rely on emails or private companies claiming that they have won the lottery.
Check the Selection Result
Selection does not automatically mean that the applicant will receive a green card.
It means the applicant has been selected for the opportunity to continue the immigrant visa process. The applicant must still meet all eligibility and admissibility requirements, and a visa number must be available.
The State Department explicitly states that selection does not guarantee a visa.
Complete the Visa Process
Selected applicants generally need to complete the required immigrant visa application, provide supporting documents, undergo the required medical examination and attend an interview when scheduled.
Applicants physically present in the United States may, if eligible, pursue adjustment of status through USCIS instead of consular processing.
DV-2026 Green Card Lottery Deadline
For people already selected for DV-2026, time is extremely important.
The Department of State states that DV-2026 applicants must be found eligible and receive their immigrant visa or adjust status by September 30, 2026. The program does not continue for those applicants after the fiscal year ends.
The DV-2026 program selected applicants from more than 20.8 million qualified entries. The Department registered approximately 129,516 prospective applicants, including selectees and their spouses and children, for the program.
Although the statutory allocation is generally described as up to 55,000 diversity visas, the DV-2026 effective annual limit is lower because of statutory deductions under NACARA and the National Defense Authorization Act. The State Department says the resulting DV-2026 limit is approximately 51,850.
Court Developments Affecting DV-2026 Applicants
The DV program has also been affected by litigation during 2026.
In Medani v. Trump, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California certified subclasses of FY-2026 Diversity Visa selectees and temporarily vacated three policies affecting DV processing. The court ordered the Department of State and USCIS, to the extent practicable and in good faith, to take reasonable steps to resume ordinary adjudication of affected cases during the remainder of the fiscal year.
The case is important because the September 30, 2026, fiscal-year deadline remains in place. The court’s August 28 order did not simply extend the DV-2026 program beyond September 30.
A September 18 filing deadline for a status report was also part of the court’s continuing oversight of the government’s implementation of the order.
What the Latest Court Developments Mean for DV-2026 Selectees
The court proceedings do not mean every DV-2026 selectee will automatically receive a visa.
Selection is still only an opportunity to apply. Applicants must satisfy the program’s eligibility and immigration requirements, and visa numbers remain subject to the statutory limits and fiscal-year deadline.
The litigation is particularly significant for selectees whose applications were affected by the challenged processing policies. The court ordered agencies to take reasonable steps toward ordinary adjudication for covered applicants during the remaining portion of fiscal year 2026.
Can You Apply for the US Green Card Lottery From Inside the United States?
The Diversity Visa program can involve both overseas consular processing and adjustment of status inside the United States.
A DV-2026 selectee who is physically present in the United States with lawful status may be able to apply for adjustment of status through USCIS if the applicable requirements are satisfied and a visa number is available.
The Department of State specifically directs such applicants to contact USCIS regarding the requirements and procedures.
Winning the lottery itself does not automatically change a person’s immigration status.
How Many Green Cards Are Available Through the Lottery?
Federal law provides for a worldwide Diversity Immigrant Visa level of 55,000 per fiscal year, although statutory deductions can reduce the actual number available in a particular year.
The visas are distributed among geographic regions, and the program also applies a per-country limitation. The State Department says no more than 7% of the available diversity visas may be issued to people chargeable to a single country under the applicable rules.
Because more people can be selected than the number of visas ultimately available, being selected does not guarantee that every selectee will receive a green card.
When Will the DV-2027 Lottery Open?
As of the latest official information available, the Department of State has not announced the DV-2027 registration opening date.
The department has said it will announce the registration period and the date for selection results through Entry Status Check.
Applicants should therefore avoid treating unofficial October dates as confirmed. The traditional registration period has often occurred in the fall, but the government has specifically changed the timing for DV-2027.
The visa application period for people selected for DV-2027 remains scheduled for October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
Where to Check the US Green Card Lottery
The safest source for registration dates, instructions, selection results and program updates is the U.S. Department of State’s official Diversity Visa information.
Applicants should look for information on Travel.State.Gov and the official Electronic Diversity Visa system rather than paying a third party simply to submit an entry.
The State Department emphasizes that applicants should complete their own applications and warns about fraud involving websites and communications that falsely appear to be connected with the U.S. government.
US Green Card Lottery: Key Points to Know
- DV-2027 registration: The official opening date has not yet been announced.
- DV-2027 visa period: October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, for people selected for DV-2027.
- New registration fee: $1 per DV lottery entry.
- New passport requirement: Valid, unexpired passport information and a passport biographic/signature-page scan will generally be required for DV-2027 entries, subject to limited exemptions.
- Education/work requirement: The principal applicant generally needs a qualifying high school education or qualifying work experience.
- DV-2026 deadline: September 30, 2026.
- Selection is not a guarantee: A selected applicant must still qualify and complete the immigration process.
- Country eligibility: The list can change each program year, so applicants should wait for the official DV-2027 instructions.
US Green Card Lottery Latest Update: What Applicants Should Do Now
People hoping to enter the next US green card lottery should prepare for the new requirements while waiting for the official DV-2027 registration announcement.
A valid passport may be needed for the entry, and applicants should be prepared for the new $1 registration fee. They should also review the education or qualifying work-experience requirements and ensure that their personal information and photographs can be submitted accurately.
Most importantly, applicants should not pay anyone who claims to have advance access to the DV-2027 registration system. The official registration date will come from the U.S. Department of State.
For existing DV-2026 selectees, the situation is different: the September 30, 2026 deadline remains the critical date, and court-ordered processing developments do not eliminate the statutory fiscal-year deadline.
Are you waiting for the next US green card lottery registration date or following a DV-2026 case? Share your questions or latest experience in the comments and stay tuned for verified updates.